Regulator for steam generators



May 11 1-926.

R. M. HYDE REGULATOR FOR STEAM GENERATORS Filed June 6, 1921 Patented May ll, 1926.

RALPH MANISON HYDE, OLE WESTFIELD, NEl/V YORK.

REGULATOR FOR STE-AM GENERATORS.

Application filed. June 6,

This invention relates to a damper regu lator for heating systems in which steam or vapor, generated in a boiler or furnace, is delivered to radiators and the water of condensation returned to the boiler,'a regulator of this type being shown and described in Letters Patent No. 1,104,509 granted to myself July 21, 1914:.

In regulators of this type as heretofore constructed the vertically movable bell is sometimes liable to be held by unusual pres-- sures in one or another of its extreme positions so that the regulator does not function properly and at times causes either an undue pressure in the boiler or causes an undue amount of the sealing liquid to be withdrawn from the tank of the regulator.

It is the object of this invention to provide means for preventing the bell from being improperly held in either of its extreme positions in case it fails to respond to variations in the pressure of the steam in the boiler and thus avoid the objectionable results above mentioned.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a furnace damper regulator embodying my improvements and showing the bell raised to its highest position in the tank so that the draft damper is fully closed and the check damper is fully opened. Figure 2 is a similar view showing the bell in its lowermost position in which the draft damper would be fully open and the check damper fully closed. Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1. Figure 5 is afperspective view of the yoke and lever forming part of the apparatus.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The tank in this regulator preferably has a cylindrical upright body provided with an integral upper head 11 preferably made of copper, and a. lower detachable bi se 12 made of cast iron, these parts being preferably connected by bolts 13 passing through the marginal part of the base and an exter nal flange 14 arranged at the lower end of the tank body, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. lVithin this tank is a vertically movable bell or dome which has a cylindrical body 15 and an upper head 16 preferably formed integrally therewith from copper. A liquid seal is formed between the tank nd bell by body of water or other liquid which 1921. Serial No. 475,236.

is arranged in the lower part of the tank and into which the edge of-the lower open end of the bell dips.

Extending upwardly through the base or bottom of the tank and into the space within the interior of the bell is a fluid pipe 18 the upper end of which is approximately in line with the desired liquid level in the tank and bell while the lower end is connected with the steam or vapor space of the boiler or furnace.

In the center of its upper head the tank is provided with an internally screw threaded opening 19 in which is secured an eXternally screw threaded plug 20 which latter has a vertical vent port 21 and annular enlargements 22, 23, at the upper and lower ends of the bore of said port. In these enlargements are secured by a driving fit, upper and lower annular vent valve seats 24, 25, respectively, which are constructed of fiber or similar material.

Movable vertically in the port and valve seats with a free sliding fit is an upright valve stem or rod 26 which is secured to said hell by providing the lower end of the stem with a reduced neck 27 and securing the latter in an opening in the head of the bell by a shoulder 28 formed on the stem at the upper end of the neck and engaging with the upper side of the bell head and a screw nut 29 arranged on the lower end of the neck and engaging with the underside of the bell head. On its lower part the valve stem is provided with a lower upwardly tapering conical vent valve 30 which is adapted to engage the edge of the lower valve seat 25 and shut off communication between the exterior and the space betweenthe upper parts of the tank and bell in the uppermost position of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1.

On the upper part of the valve stem it an ranged an upper downwardly tapering conical vent valve 31 which in the lowermost position of the bell, as shown in Fig. 2, is

adapted to engage the. upper regulating.

valve seat and shut off communication between the interior of the upper part of the tank and the bell. The lower vent valve 30 is preferably formed integrally with the valve stem but the upper vent valve is preferably connected therewith by a screw joint.

Motion may be transmitted from this valve stem to the draft damper 32 and the check damper 33 of the steam boiler of furnace in suitable inanner, but preferably by means which comprise a vertically swinging rock lever 3i which is connected by a link with a bracket 36 secured to the tank and which has a single outer arm and a bifurcated inner arni, upper and lower lines 37, 3S connecting the outer arm of the rock lever with the check damper and the draft damper, and a bifurcated yoke 23:) having its ends pivotally connected with the ends of the bifurcated inner arm of the rock lever while its cross piece is provided with an opening which receives the upper end of the valve stem and is clan'u ed between the upper vent valve and a clamping screw nut -20 on the valve stem.

Means are provided whereby, when the bell is in its lowermost position and the upper vent valve is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, any gaseous fluid under pressure within the upper part of the tank will be able to escape to the exterior of the tank, but external ai at this time is prevented from entering th tank. For this purpose an outward; opening check valve device provided which, for example, may be constructed as follows:

t1, represent the upper and lower parts of a relief passage formed in the upper part of the valve, the lower part 42 being coniparatively small and opening laterally to the surface of the valve rod and the upper part 41 being comparatively large and opening to the outer atmosphere at the upper end or the valve stem. Between the upper enlarged and the lower reduced part of this vent passage is formed an upwardly or outwardly facing check valve seat 43 which is adapted to be en aged by an uppe outwardly opening vent or relief check valve 44;, preteral ly having the shape of a ball. This ball valve is confined in the large part of the upper vent passage by a screw nipple 45 soared to the valve stem in the upper end of the u iper vent passage. The lower end of this veit passage 41, 42, is so arranged that when the upper vent valve is closed, this end will be within the vent port and in communication with the interior of the tank.

Means are also provided whereby, when the bell is in its uppermost position and the lower vent valve 30 is closed, as shown in i 1, the formation of a vacuum in the upper part of the tank by the exhausting eti'ect through the regulating conduit is prevented. The means for accomplishing this purpose may be varied, but the means suitable for this purpose and shown in the drawings are constructed as follows:

-16 represents an inner reliei passage formed in the inner part of the valve stem and having its upper end opening through one side of the valve stem so that in the uppermost position of the latter, this end of the lower vent passage will open into the vent port 21 and communicate with the outer atmosphere, while the lower end of this passage opens into the This lower or inner with an inwardly which is adapted wardly opening lower vent or relic? r'fic 2*: valve -i-8 preferably of the hall type. llcape of the latter from the inner vent passage prevented by a relainimr nipg-le S 1-! cured in the inner end oi the inner vent p:1 sage.

The operation of the regulator as 10 vs:

iVhen the pressure of the steam or vapor supplied to the radiators and to the inner side oi the hell or dome is normal, th s bell rz ised by this pressure to a plac: about he way between its extreme positions '2: the tank, so that the d aft damper and the rho-l: damper are both about half open and the fire of the "Furnace or boiler will i o be eno'ae'ei burn ciently brisk to maintain the room or buildinz' at the desired tenn ei'ature. ll. the steam pressure exec-e L l bell w l l ill be raise-.1 a which causes the d attdz more nearly into its fill and the check damper to no moved ili w more nearly tullv opened position, th reby checking the fire and the generation ol steam. On the other hand, it the w pressure drops below the nornml th bell descends by gravity, causing the damper to be moved into a more fully opened position and the check damper to be moved into its more fully closed position. whereby the fire is caused to burn mire briskly and generate steam more rapidly to meet requirements. While the bell thus 1 and falls intermediate ot its extreme tion air is permitted to pass freely tron interior of the tank above the bell to outer atmosphere and also from the exterior to the interior of the tank through the vent port 21 in which the valve stem 26 is tilted sutliciently loose for this purpose.

.Vhen the bell is moved into its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 2, due to a considerable fall in steam pressure below the normal, the draft damper is ope-red completely and the check damper is .ied its maximum extent. thus accelerating the lire and the generation ot steam. ll'len the hell is in this position comniuniration b tween the space in the upper cud ol' llll' tank and the exterior is cut oii' by crgwagc ment of the upper vent valve ll with the upper valve seat thereby i reventiug e2;-

J lr V mper to he moved lv closed position i i ternal air lrom entering the tank a: l preventing tne liquid in the tank and hell From vent it, the bell is liable to stick. in its lowermost position and thus hold the draft damper open and the check damper closed indefinitely, notwithstanding that the pressure in the bell subsequently increases in proportion to the subsequent increase in generation of steam, so that an excessively high steam pressure is liable to occur and render the apparatus dangerous or at least burn an unnecessary amount of fuel and prevent proper regulation of the temperature.

This preponderating pressure in the tank in the absence of any preventative, is produced in the following manner:

Then a vacuum begins to form in the bell as the latter reaches its lowermost position by the dropping of the steam pressure, the water in the bell rises and the water between the bell and the tank falls, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a vacuum is formed in the tank above the bell during the formation of which air at first leaks inwardly past the upper vent valveBl and its seat 24 until the vacuum within the bell due to continued dropping of the steam pressure is sufliciently strong to pull the bell down and make a tight joint between this valve 31 and its seat 24:. "When the pressure of the steam again rises, due to an increase in heat, the vacuum in the bell is changed to a pressure which forces the liquid in the bell downwardly and that between the bell and tank upwardly, thus forming an air pressure in the upper part of the tank which retards, and is liable to prevent the riseof the bell, and cause excessive heating and steam generation of the boiler.

The-formation of such a pressure at this time in the upper part of the tank is however prevented by the outwardly opening relief check valve 44; which opens when any pressure develops in the upper part of the tank while the bell is in its lowermost position and permits any compressed gaseous V fluid in the same to escape to the outer atmosphere, thereby permitting the bell to rise without hindrance when any steam under pressure enters the bell and insuring proper operation of the draft and check dampers for controlling the generation of steam by the boiler. It therefore follows that no undue gaseous pressure can be present in the upper end of the tank which would tend to hold down the bell, thereby enabling the latter to be raised by a com paratively light gaseous pressure of, say from one-half ounce to two ounces, so that the regulator will operate with greater sensitiveness and more promptly.

In the absence of any provision to prevent it, the bell is also liable to become stuck in its uppermost position and thus hold the draft damper shut and the check damper open to such an extent as to interfere with the proper operation of the steam generator. Such sticking of the bell in its uppermost position is caused as follows:

lVhen the bell is in its highest position there is a pressure in the same which depresses the liquid within the bell and raises the liquid between the bell and the tank and the lower vent valve 30 is also engaged with the lower valve seat- 25 to form a tight joint between the same. As the steam pressure lowers, the pressure within the bell changes to a partial vacuum and the liquid between the bell and tank drops to its former level and would form a vacuum in the tank above the bell if no means were provided to prevent the formation of a vacuum, which vacuum would operate to hold the bell in its uppermost position and cause the lire of the furnace to remain low.-

The formation of such a vacuum at this time in the upper end of the tank is however prevented by the employment of the lower relief-check valve 48 which permits air to enter the tank from the xterior thereof and thus enable the bell to drop to its natural position whenever the steam pressure is lowered.

By this means the regulator will operate uniformly in its extreme upper and lower positions as well as in its intermediate position and etfectively regulate the generation of steam in accordance with requirements.

I claim as my invention:

1. A regulator comprising a tank adapted to contain liquid in its lower part, a vertically movable bell arranged in the tank and adapted to dip its lower end in said liquid to form a liquid seal therebetween, a fluid carrying conduit extending through the tank and into the interior of said bell, and an outwardly opening check valve permitting gaseous fluid under pressure within the interior of the upper part of the tank to pass to the external atmosphere when the bell is in its lowermost position.

2. A regulator comprising a tank adapted to contain liquid in its lower part, a vertically movable bell arranged in the tank and adapted to dip its lower end in said liquid to form a liquid seal therebetween, a fluid carrying conduit extending through the tank and into the interior of said bell, and an inwardly opening check valve permitting gaseous fluid to pass from the external atmos phere to the interior of the upper part of the tank when a vacuum is formed in the latter and the bell is raised into its highest position.

8. A regulator comprising a tank containing a liquid in its lower part, a vertically movable bell arranged in the tank and dipping its lower end in said liquid to form a liquid seal therebetween, a fluid carrying conduit extending through the tank and into the interior of said bell, an outwardly opening check valve which permits gaseous fluid to pass from within the interior of the upper partof the tank to the external atmosphere when the hell in its lowermost position, and an inwardlg, opening check valve which permits gaseous fluid to pass from the external atmosphere into the interior of the upper part of the tank where the bell is raised into its highest position.

'-l-. A regulator comprising a tank having an opening in its top, a plug secured in said opening and having a vertical port and an nular enlargements at the upper and lower ends of said port, a bell movable vertically in said tank, upper and lower annular liber valve sea s arranged in said upper and lower enlargements: a vertical valve stem arranged in said port and annular valve seats and connected with said bell, a downwardly tapering conical valve member arranged on the upper part of said stem and adapted to engage said upper fiber valve seat, an upward l v tapering valve member arranged on the lower part of said valve st an and adapted to engage said lower fiber valve seat. and a :tluid carrying conduit extending through said tank and into the interior of said bell.

A regulator comprising a tank having a port in its top, a vertically movahle bell arranged in the tank, a fluid carrying con duit communicating with the interior of said bell, a valve stem movable vertically in said port and connected with said hell, upper and lower valve seats arranged on the tank at the upper and lower ends of said port, upper and lover valve members arranged on the upper and lower parts of said stem and adapted to engage with said upper and lower valve seats, and an outwardly opening check valve mounted on said valve stem and permitting gaseous fluid to pass from the interior of said tank to the external atmosphere when the bell is in its lowermost position, said check valve consisting of a passage extending inwzu'dly from the outer end of the valve stem and opening at its inner end through the side of the valve stem and having its outer part enlarged and forming an outwardly facing check valve seat, a check valve member arranged in said enlargement and engaging with said check valve seat, and a retaining nipple secured in the outer end of said enlargement.

(i. A regulator comprising a tank having a port in its top, a vertically movable bell arranged in the tank, a fluid carrying conduit eon'nnunicating with the interior of said hell, a valve stem movable vertically in said port and connected with said bell, upper and lower valve :i'eats arranged on the tank at the upper and lower ends of said port, upper and lower valve members arranged on the upper and lower parts of said stem and adapted to engage with said upper and lower valve seats, and an inwardl opening check valve arranged on the inner part of said stem and permitting gaseous fluid to pass from the external atmosphere into the interior of the tank when the bell is in its uppermost position, said check valve consisting ot' a valve passage arranged in the valve stem and opening at its inner end into said tank and opening at its outer end to the outer atmosphere and having an inwardly facing check valve seat, and a check valve member engaging said check valve seat.

RALPH MANISON HYDE. 

